Supporters club statement

Thu Feb 08, 2018 6:38 pm

Posting on behalf of the Supporters Club

Supporters Club Statement

The committee would like to express their dismay over recent events and statements issued by various sources.

A member of the committee has now been contacted by Glyn Hopkin and he stands by the statement made by the club. This is most disappointing since Glyn was in regular contact with members of our committee but has seen fit not to respond over the last 3 months. Similarly, the board have made no attempt to respond to requests for meetings over the same period.

It is disturbing to us that a well-established businessman of many years standing did not feel that he could contact any of the committee to ask if we could help to resolve the situation of the flags that apparently, he felt was of paramount importance. At no time were we made aware of the objections by Glyn to the flags still being displayed at away games and that it could affect his decision as to whether he should stay with the club.

The club had already made a decision and banned the flags from our ground. Since that ban the flags have not appeared inside the ground. As a supporters’ club we have little or no authority over what supporters can or can’t do. Nor do the club and Mr. Hopkin agreed this was the case. Two supporters received club banning orders after an incident at Eastleigh and we have subsequently banned them from travelling on our coaches. We have no other means of punishing supporters, particularly those who do not belong to the supporters’ club. We as a supporters’ club cannot ban flags from away grounds. This is the prerogative of the ground we are attending. At no time were these flags carried on our coaches.

We note the comments on the club statement about a viscous campaign against the managing director. We are not aware of any such campaign but assume that this refers to the ‘obviously fake email’. The members involved thought long and hard before bringing it to the attention of Glyn Hopkin. As far as the committee is concerned this was shown to Glyn Hopkin in good faith.

We take great exception to the Board questioning our loyalty and support to the club. An e-mail was sent on the 13th July from our secretary to the chairman Paul Gwyn in which it was stated ‘we at the supporters’ club are 100% behind banning or cancelling anything that is deemed racial or detrimental to the club. I also understand that this is the only flag banned at the moment’. On the 14th July the chairman’s response was as follows ‘I am pleased that the supporters’ club is fully behind the banning of any flag that is deemed to be offensive, provocative or detrimental to the club. I think we all agree that this is a friendly family club and a club that is going places.’

The supporters’ club and its members continue to support the club in many ways. Those who attend home matches will see unpaid volunteers selling programmes and golden goal tickets. The supporters, via the supporters’ club have contributed to the club over the years by amongst other things, purchasing frost covers and new goal nets.

The supporters’ club committee feel it is time to move on, put all this negativity behind us and for the board and the supporters to come up with ways to help restore the positive atmosphere and to improve the current situation in which both the board and the supporters find themselves in. This can only be achieved by having discussions which we have been requesting.

As a committee, we will continue, if necessary to question any decisions or actions which we feel is detrimental to our supporters or not in the best interest of our club. Because our supporters care and are not looking for confrontation.

Without Dagenham & Redbridge Football Club in existence there is no point in a Supporters Club.